Alysia Johnson moved to California from New York when she was 3 years old. She played soccer and ran cross country through high school. She ran for Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California, with her high school career culminating in winning the 800 meters at the CIF California State Meet in 2004.[4] That year she was ranked #10 in the nation and finished fourth at the Golden West Invitational, a meet that proclaims itself to be a National championship of High School Track and Field.[5]
At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Montaño won her first international medal, a bronze, in the 800 m, finishing with a personal best time of 1:59.60.[8] At the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Montaño won the 800 m title in a time of 1:58.33 to defend her 2010 crown. She placed fourth at that year's World Championships in Daegu with her second fastest time of 1:57.48 minutes. As a result of the disqualification of several Russian competitors, she advanced to the bronze medal.
She came close to a personal best at the 2012 Prefontaine Classic, winning the 800 m in 1:57.37 minutes.[9] At the 2012 Olympics, the front running Montaño held the lead until the kickers ran past her in the closing stages of the race, ultimately holding on to fifth place. With the disqualification of two Russian athletes, that ultimately turned into an Olympic bronze medal.
She won the 2013 Milrose Games 600 meters and set an American Indoor Record of 1:23.59 on February 16.[10][11]
Won 2013 Penn Relays 4 × 800 meters and set American Outdoor Record in 8:04.31 on April 27.[12]Lea Wallace (2:02.0), Brenda Martinez (2:00.6), Ajeé Wilson (2:03.1), Alysia Montano (1:58.6). Again at the 2013 World Championships, Montaño finished fourth after leading and being passed in the closing stage of the race. For the third major championship in a row, a Russian athlete, Mariya Savinova finished ahead of her. With Savinova's lifetime ban for doping, this resulted into another bronze medal for Montaño when the medals were reallocated.
Alysia garnered attention in June 2014 by competing in the USATF's USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships while eight months pregnant. She finished last in a field of 29 in the 800 meters preliminaries with a time of 2:32.13.[13][14] She gave birth to Linnea Dori Montaño on August 15, 2014.[15]
A year later in June 2015, Alysia returned and won the 800 meters final of the US Trials and qualified for the World Athletics Championships 2015 in Beijing.
